YC's AI-first batch: Autonomous agents replace copilots in sports front offices

What if a fight promotion could turn every fan in the building into an active participant instead of a passive viewer? That is the value behind Fight Judge AI: FanJudge. FanJudge is debuting tomorrow night live at PFC 51, so bensure to tune in live on the Peak Fighting App - 3/21/26 FanJudge allows attendees and PPV viewers to score fights live from their phones, round by round, in real time. That creates a stronger event experience for fans, but more importantly, it creates business value for promotions: • higher audience engagement during every round • more interactive value for sponsors and broadcasts • stronger post-fight social conversation • a new data layer showing how fans saw each bout live This is not just a gimmick. It is a scalable engagement infrastructure layer for combat sports events. Fight Judge AI is focused on building systems that make promotions more modern, more interactive, and more data-driven.

Snapchat Launches AI Clips in Lens Studio for Photo-to-Video Creation and Monetization - Snapchat introduces AI Clips, converting single photos into five-second AI-generated videos - Built within Lens Studio GenAI Suite, enabling rapid Lens creation without external tools - Closed-prompt system gives developers control while simplifying user interaction to single tap - Output enables cinematic scenarios like red carpet scenes from static user photos - Available via $8.99/month Lens+ subscription with access to premium AI experiences - Integrated Lens+ Payouts program enables developers to monetize AI Clip-based Lenses #bricksainews #brisksai #ainews #aiupdates #aistartup #snapchat #launches #aiclips #studio #creation #monetization

An AI character just became the #1 streamer on Twitch. Her name is Neuro-sama. She can: • Chat with viewers • Play games • Respond to comments • React to videos in real time Thousands of people watch… even though she isn’t human. This shows something bigger: Audiences don’t necessarily care if the host is real. They care if the content is engaging. Now imagine this applied to commerce. AI hosts that can present products, interact with viewers, and run 24/7 live shopping streams. That’s the direction live commerce is heading. If you want to see how brands are starting to build AI-powered live selling systems, comment “STREAM” and I’ll send the breakdown. #LiveCommerce #AIAvatars #Ecommerce

Runway just introduced Runway Characters - real-time intelligent avatars that can be integrated directly into apps, websites, and digital products. Developers can customize the character’s visual style, voice, knowledge base, and behaviour using the API. This opens up interesting possibilities for building more interactive digital experiences instead of traditional chat interfaces. Looks like we’re moving closer to products having their own AI characters. #AI #Runway #GenerativeAI #AIAvatars #FutureOfInterfaces #Innovation

This is where the physical and digital layers of sports start to merge. LiveX AI is positioning itself as something new. A media layer. An activation layer. And increasingly, an interface. After its Super Bowl deployment, where venues became interactive AI environments, the focus is now scaling that model across global events like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. My take: Every venue is becoming a smart surface. Historically, fan experience in stadiums was static: • Screens • Announcers • Fixed activations LiveX is turning that into something dynamic and personalized. • AI-powered kiosks • Conversational holograms • Real-time, one-to-one interaction That changes the role of the venue. It becomes: • A data layer • A content layer • A commerce layer All in real time. And the bigger shift. This moves sports from event-based engagement to always-on infrastructure. Instead of activating fans only during games, leagues and sponsors can: • Engage before, during, and after events • Personalize experiences at scale • Turn every touchpoint into something measurable and monetizable We’ve seen this happen in digital. Now it’s happening in the physical world. The stadium is evolving into an intelligent platform. #SportsTech #FanEngagement #AI #SportsBusiness #SmartVenues

Monetizing 30M MAUs successfully… Can’t just be a guessing-game. Right? Most people see Sofascore as the go-to app for live sports. But behind that seamless experience is a high-stakes "Adtech Playbook" managed with ultimate precision. We sat down with Branimir Lasničko, the architect behind SofaScore’s monetization engine, to talk about various opportunities and challenges in Ad Monetization. 1. Constant Risk: Managing daily performance in a bi-weekly release cycle. 2. High Impact: Finding the "right spot" for Interstitial and Rewarded ads. 3. User First: Balancing engagement rates against short-term revenue boosts. 4. Future Tech: Using AI to predict user cohorts instead of just serving ads. …and more Check out the full deep dive into AI, high-impact formats, and the future of first-party data here in our latest Adtech conversations with him (link in comments). #AdtechConversation #AdMonetization #CrackleAI #AdRevenue #MobileApps #InAppAds #Monetization #AI #Programmatic #Privacy #sofascore #NonGamingApps

🚨𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚 🚨 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐝𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐬𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐧, 𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐈 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐥𝐬. Think millions of times before integrating AI tools with Meta, especially if you're running high spending verified ad accounts. Verified accounts with large monthly budgets are not immune to bans in fact, they often get flagged faster when unusual automation activity is detected. Losing a high spend account doesn’t just stop ads.. it can shut down revenue pipelines overnight. Use AI to analyze performance and find opportunities, but keep campaign actions manual and within Meta’s approved systems. When you’re managing serious budgets, protecting the account is more important than saving a few minutes with risky automation. #metaads #marketingtrends2026

One of the more interesting sports tech developments right now is how quickly the venue experience is becoming an identity platform. With MLB expanding facial authentication from entry toward concessions, and adding new AI-driven features inside the app ecosystem, the ballpark is starting to look less like a collection of point solutions and more like a connected digital environment. That creates convenience for fans, but it also raises a more strategic question for teams, leagues, and venue tech companies: What part of that experience is actually protectable? The value is not just in a faster gate or a smoother transaction. It is in the underlying system architecture, authentication flows, software integrations, data handling, and user experience design that make the whole journey feel seamless. In other words, the smart venue is not just a fan experience story. It is an IP story. As stadium technology becomes more integrated across access, payments, personalization, and engagement, the organizations building defensible systems, not just flashy features, may have the strongest long-term advantage. #SportsTech #VenueTech #FanExperience #AI #Biometrics #IntellectualProperty #Patents #YBSports

SeatGeek launches in ChatGPT, opening a new AI-driven ticket discovery channel for fans, teams, and venues. Read why this could reshape ticketing now. #SeatGeek #ChatGPT #Ticketing #LiveEvents #SportsBusiness #ConcertTickets #ConversationalAI #AITech #EventDiscovery #DigitalCommerce SeatGeek

Heading to Shoptalk in Vegas (Mar 24-26)? The Envision Horizons team is hitting the expo floor and hosting real operator-to-operator conversations with brands. I’d love to see you there! We’re hosting a few high-value sessions: 🔸 1-on-1 Brand Strategy Sessions - Deep diving your brands biggest pain points and providing consultative solutions. 🔸 VIP Learning Sessions: Focused on AI Discoverability, TikTok Shop strategies, and Affiliate Creator Networks. 🔸 "Amazon Therapy" Roundtables: A low-pressure space to share challenges and discuss what’s actually working on Amazon right now. 📣ShopTalk Raffle - Every touchpoint with us an automatic entry to win your choice of an Oura Ring, Dyson Airwrap, or Ninja Luxe Espresso Machine. We’ll also be sharing first looks at our newest AI-powered tools, SKYE AI and Horizons Shelf, designed to keep your products discoverable in the new age of AI-driven shopping. Want to connect? Reach out directly or comment below. Looking forward to connecting in Vegas! #Shoptalk2026 #AmazonStrategy #RetailMedia #AI #Ecommerce #EnvisionHorizons